Friday, 27 March 2015 07:32

San Mateo's Massive Weekend Market

Fruit and veg at Gran Canaria's San Mateo market Fruit and veg at Gran Canaria's San Mateo market

It's in a warehouse and you can't call it pretty but San Mateo market sells the widest range of local produce available anywhere in Gran Canaria.

The market is just like the town; largely functional and agricultural but with the odd surprise. Stalls sell local and imported produce at excellent prices, but the best value is always whatever is in season on the island.

Lex says: You can't haggle here or in any local Gran Canaria markets but if you smile and say hello you might get a bit extra.

Look out for fresh cheese (queso tierno), which is superb drizzled with the local honey (sold in plain jars), local dried herbs, local olives, and for exotic fruit. We've found tree tomatoes, sapotes and passion fruit amongst the seasonal fruit. The wine stall by the door is good and there's plenty of bread and cheese on sale at the back.

Don't miss the clothes, hardware and souvenirs in the building opposite the produce market. It's for the local crowd and feels more like South America than Europe.

Parking in San Mateo after about 11am is a nightmare and the road up clogs up after midday. Get there early and park right by the market, shop in peace and be in a cafe, or watching the locals dance in the square next door before the hordes arrive.

Head for the church and the cobbled streets around it for the best lunch options in town.

Published in Markets

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Tip of the day

  • Tip Of The Day: Avoid Bank Card Charges By Paying In Euros
    Tip Of The Day: Avoid Bank Card Charges By Paying In Euros

    Save money and avoid rip-off bank charges while in Gran Canaria by paying in euros when using your credit or debit card.

    Many bars and restaurants in Gran Canaria, and in almost all European holiday destinations, give you the option of paying in euros or in your home currency. Opting for your own currency, while it may seem like the safer option, can add as much as 5% to the bill as it triggers dynamic currency conversion. 

    DCC basically means that the exchange rate is calculated at point of sale rather than by your bank. It allows you to see the total cost of the transaction in your own currency but adds up to 5% to the total because it uses a terrible exchange rate. 

    Since the extra money is shared between your bank and the merchant, some places will automatically bill you in your own currency and hope you don't notice. You have the legal right to refuse and void the transaction should this happen. 

    ATMs too

    The same applies when taking money out of ATM machines in Gran Canaria (and anywhere in Europe); Always choose the local currency option to avoid losing money to poor exchange rates.

    If you opt for the local currency option, using bank ATMs is often the cheapest and safest way of getting euros in Gran Canaria. It's far safer than having a big pile of euros hidden in your room or tucked into your shorts.

    More details in this Daily Telegraph article.

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